Editorial Guidelines
Last updated June 2026
These guidelines explain how RealRoute is researched and written. They exist so readers know what our recommendations are based on, where our numbers come from, and how we handle mistakes.
Every cost, safety, and visa claim links to a real, official source you can check.
Each page shows its review date and is updated through the year as things change.
No advertiser or sponsor decides what we cover or how we rank it.
Material errors are fixed in the open and the date is updated, never rewritten quietly.
Independence
Editorial coverage is independent of advertising. No advertiser, affiliate partner, or sponsor decides what we cover, how we rank destinations, or what we recommend. Where a commercial relationship exists, it is disclosed and it does not change the editorial call.
How we research
RealRoute is a researched reference, not a first-person travel diary. We compile and cross-check information from primary and authoritative sources rather than relying on a single outlet. When sources disagree, we say so and explain which we lean on and why.
- Costs are mid-range, per-person daily estimates, drawn from cost-of-living and trip-cost data and framed as estimates, not fixed prices.
- Safety references use the Global Peace Index and official government travel advisories (US State Department, UK FCDO, Australia's Smartraveller).
- Entry and visa information is checked against official government sources and is always flagged as something to confirm before booking.
- Seasons, arrivals figures, and rankings cite the relevant published data and note when a methodology or figure varies between sources.
Sourcing and citations
Where a claim rests on a specific source, we link to that source so you can verify it yourself. We link to original and official material wherever possible, rather than to secondary write-ups.
A worked example
Say we publish a daily cost for Lisbon. We start with a cost-of-living aggregator (a database of crowd-sourced prices), check it against a published trip-cost index, then sanity-check both against a current hotel and meal search for the same dates. If the three sit close, we publish a mid-range figure and link the indices. If they diverge, we widen the figure into a range and note why. The same method applies to a safety figure: we read the country's score in the Global Peace Index, then cross-check the current official advisory before citing it.
Update cadence
Prices, seasons, and entry rules are reviewed through the year, not just at publication. We re-check cost estimates and exchange-rate-sensitive figures each quarter, refresh seasonal and weather guidance ahead of each shoulder season, and revisit visa and entry rules whenever an official source changes them. Each page shows the date of its last review so you can judge how current it is. Who does this work is listed on our team page.
Accuracy, dates, and corrections
Prices, seasons, and entry rules change. Each page carries the date it was published or last reviewed, and figures reflect what was available at that time. If you spot an error, email contact@realroute.me with the page and the specific figure; we update the page and the date when we correct something material.
Corrections are handled openly. A typo or broken link is fixed quietly. A figure that changes the takeaway, for example a visa-on-arrival rule that no longer applies, is corrected in the text and the review date is updated so the change is visible. We do not silently rewrite history on numbers that mattered to a decision. Editorial responsibility sits with the named people on our team, and you can reach us through the About page.
Use of tools and automation
We use research and drafting tools to help compile and structure information, and every page is edited and checked against the sources above before it goes live. Tools assist the work; they do not replace sourcing or editorial judgement.
Advertising and affiliates
RealRoute is supported by display advertising and may earn commissions from affiliate links. Ads are rendered as clearly delineated units and never disguised as editorial. Affiliate links are disclosed where material to a recommendation, and they do not influence rankings. See our About page for more.